VICTOR DOMINELLO - MINISTER FOR NOTHING

In an embarrassment for the O'Farrell Government, Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello has admitted only introducing one piece of legislation in his portfolio in 18 months.

Questioned by Labor members of the NSW Parliament today at his yearly Budget estimates session, Mr Dominello could only point to a standard Bill he introduced in June for a new working with children check:

Β· Shaoquett Moselmane MLC: So you've only introduced one piece of legislation?

Β· Minister Dominello: That's correct.

Β· Shaoquett Moselmane MLC: Minister, what have you been doing for 18 months?

Shaoquett Moselmane MLC said: "Victor Dominello's always the first Minister to show up for a photo opportunity β€“ but he's not actually doing any work where it counts.

"Mr Dominello's admission that he's introduced just one piece of legislation in 18 months proves that multicultural communities are not receiving the vigorous representation from the State Government they deserve.

"Time and again, the Minister has failed his duty.

"Mr Dominello failed to stand up for migrant communities when the O'Farrell Government cut $1.7 billion out of the NSW education system β€“ including Catholic, Islamic, Greek Orthodox and Jewish schools.

"Mr Dominello was nowhere when the O'Farrell Government raised TAFE fees by 9.5 percent β€“ making it too expensive for many people to enrol in a foreign language course.

"Parents from migrant communities believe passionately in education β€“ but if Mr Dominello won't represent their interests around the Cabinet table, why is he even there?"

At this morning's session Mr Dominello also declined to repudiate offensive statements by his NSW Liberal colleague Peter Phelps. Last month, Mr Phelps demanded an end to multiculturalism and described Government programs benefitting multicultural communities as a "waste of money".

Helen Westwood MLC said: "Mr Dominello is meant to be our State's leading advocate for diversity β€“ so why hasn't he pulled his Liberal colleague into line?

"Labor will always stand up for multiculturalism and the values of tolerance and respect.

"Clearly, there is an ugly strain within the NSW Liberal Party and Victor Dominello and Barry O'Farrell are too weak to knock it on the head."

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DOMINELLO DOESN'T KNOW OWN PORTFOLIO

Labor Upper House ML Shaoquett Moselmane today responded to claims by the NSW Minister for Citizenship and Communities, Victor Dominello, that Labor had not amended the Community Relations Commission Act in the past 11 years.

"This is simply untrue", Mr Moselmane said.

"Labor in fact made eleven separate changes to this Act in 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2010. A quick Google search of this Bill online would have told the Minister that.

"Minister Dominello is simply just trying to cover for the fact that he has only passed one bill in his entire time as Minister.

"Labor delivered this Act, and Mr Dominello's comments show that he indeed has faith in the laws introduced by the previous Labor Government."

In an interview yesterday with The Filipino Australian, Minister Dominello said:

â€œThere is a perfectly fine piece of legislation in place, the Community Relations Commission Act 2000. During the past 11 years the Labor Party did not see the need to tinker with it.â€